You don't have to be Sachin to take rest

Sachin Tendulkar has decided to extend his period of relaxation and in turn has opted not to play in the upcoming series against Sri Lanka. That "personal" decision of his has instantaneously sparked off a debate, with one section saying that he is not bigger than the team and cannot keep skipping series after series. There is another saying that he has achieved enough for the country, to be able to pick and choose.

Well, first things first, not just Sachin but any sportsperson in any field of sport, has the right to decide if he/she would like to play a certain tournament or not. One doesn't have to make a herculean achievement in that sport to be able to make that decision, it is one that is very personal and one that is taken by many in a variety of sports. If Rafael Nadal wants to opt out of an ATP event to sustain himself in order to give his best in a Grand Slam event, then he does so without anyone questioning the decision. When Wayne Rooney knows he has an England friendly a few days before a Manchester United versus Manchester City clash, he opts to play only a few minutes of the friendly rather than the whole game.

Quite clearly, resting from a particular tournament has nothing to do with the "you aren't bigger than the team" logic. So that should throw the current debate out of the window for a while. Now, looking at it practically, why would the BCCI or anyone want to tell a player that they aren't bigger than the team and ask them to play when they aren't 100% prepared to do so. It would simply be better to include someone who is fully motivated to go in to the tournament, otherwise that particular player would never play up to full potential.

On most occasions there is this belief that Sachin must step aside, so that the younger folk can get the opportunity they deserve. Well, he has stepped aside for the moment and that has certainly given some of the younger cricketers an opening to make use of. Think about it, had Sachin not rested, would Ajinkya Rahane get picked or would Manoj Tiwary get to hope of doing more than just warming the bench? In all likelihood, they wouldn't.

This decision from Sachin seems to have positives for all sides. Firstly it allows him to take time off from the game in order to preserve himself. Secondly, it gives the youngsters a chance that they have been yearning for and thirdly, it gives everyone a chance to look at what India's future ODI side might be capable of doing. So, it is nice that Sachin has rested but at the same time it is important to understand that any player can choose to rest if he is not in the right mental or physical framework to participate in a tournament. It is time to be a little realistic before drawing out the swords of judgement.